Clip-on sunglasses are formed by colored lenses and a frame structure for the colored lenses. Clip-on sunglasses do not include the typical temples which extend from the lens frame structure to behind the ears of a user, as is the case with conventional eyeglasses. Instead, clip-on sunglasses are intended to clip over the front of the clear lenses of conventional eyeglasses, to convert the conventional eyeglasses into sunglasses. When protection from intense sunlight is no longer needed, the clip-on sunglasses are detached from the conventional eyeglasses.
Originally, clip-on sunglasses included a mechanical clip arrangement which mechanically attached the colored lenses and their frame structure to the conventional eyeglasses. A variety of different types of mechanical clip arrangements have been used, including some which permit the clip-on sunglasses to pivot forward from lenses of the conventional eyeglasses. The pivoting movement removes the colored lenses from the line of sight through the clear lenses of the conventional sunglasses, but does not detach the clip-on sunglasses from the conventional eyeglasses. More recently, clip-on sunglasses have been formed with small magnets to hold the clip-on sunglasses to the metallic frame of the eyeglasses. Such magnetic attachments eliminate the need for mechanical clip arrangements and therefore are usually more compact.
The magnetic attachment permits a close fit between the colored lenses of the clip-on sunglasses and the frame of the eyeglasses. Excess space is not consumed by mechanical clip arrangements. The magnetically-connected clip-on sunglasses are more closely positioned with respect to the lenses of the eyeglasses, allowing the colored lenses in the clip-on sunglasses to be shaped to coincide with the shape of the frame structure and the lenses of the conventional eyeglasses. Under these circumstances, the conventional eyeglasses with the magnetically-attached clip-on sunglasses are almost the same in appearance as conventional sunglasses. The similarity in appearance between eyeglasses with magnetically-attached clip-on sunglasses and conventional sunglasses has enhanced stylistic appeal and demand for magnetically-attached clip-on sunglasses.
The magnets have been positioned in a variety of different locations on the frame of magnetically-attachable clip-on sunglasses. The number of the magnets also varies according to the different types of magnetically-attachable clip-on sunglasses. The more magnets and the more locations of those magnets on the clip-on sunglasses limit the possibilities for attaching the clip-on sunglasses to conventional eyeglasses, because a corresponding magnetically attractable structure must be located on the frame structure of the conventional eyeglasses to assure that the magnets of the clip-on sunglasses will securely attach to the frame structure of the conventional eyeglasses. If the magnets are not positioned at the appropriate location to interact with the frame structure of the conventional eyeglasses, or if multiple magnets are needed to obtain the necessary force to hold the clip-on sunglasses firmly to the frame structure of the conventional eyeglasses, the magnetic connection arrangement may appear bulky, may not locate the colored lenses of the clip-on sunglasses in close adjacency to the clear lenses of the conventional eyeglasses, may not permit the colored lenses of the clip-on sunglasses to assume the same shape as the clear lenses of the conventional eyeglasses, and may otherwise generally diminish the style and appearance characteristics of the clip-on sunglasses, thereby making the clip-on sunglasses less appealing to the user.
One very effective magnetic attraction technique for attaching clip-on sunglasses to conventional eyeglasses involves the use of a magnetically attractable connection body attached to the bridge portion of the clip-on sunglasses frame structure. The bridge portion of the clip-on sunglasses frame structure extends between the bands of the frame structure which surround the colored lenses. The magnetically attractable connection body has a slot, and the slot is adapted to fit within and magnetically attract to a nose-bridge portion of the wire frame structure of conventional eyeglasses. The nose-bridge portion of the conventional eyeglasses frame structure extends across the wearer's nose and connects the bands which extend around the clear lenses of the conventional eyeglasses. With the magnetically attractable connection body of the clip-on sunglasses positioned over the nose-bridge portion of the metallic frame structure of conventional eyeglasses, the clip-on sunglasses are securely attached to the conventional eyeglasses. When attached in this matter, the colored lenses of the clip-on sunglasses are close to the clear lenses of the conventional eyeglasses, and do not appear to be attached to the conventional eyeglasses, creating the appearance that the clip-on sunglasses are almost an integral part of the conventional eyeglasses and contributing to the style and appeal of using the clip-on sunglasses.
The nose-bridge magnetically attractable connection body is particularly beneficial in allowing clip-on sunglasses to be used with wire frame conventional eyeglasses, because wire frame eyeglasses generally do not have sufficient mechanical structure to support mechanical clip-on attachments or do not have sufficient mechanical structure to permit many other types of magnetic clip-on sunglasses with magnets located in other positions to be effectively connected to wire frame eyeglasses. The nose-bridge magnetically attractable connection body also permits the colored lenses of the clip-on sunglasses to assume essentially the same shape as the lenses of the conventional eyeglasses.
Photochromatic lenses have been used in conventional eyeglasses to avoid the need for separate sunglasses and clip-on sunglasses. Photochromatic lenses respond to ultraviolet radiation present in intense natural sunlight to darken the color of the lenses. The darkened lenses simulate conventional sunglasses. Upon moving indoors or out of intense direct sunlight, the lack of ultraviolet radiation causes the photochromatic lenses to return to a clear condition.
While photochromatic lenses are generally very effective, they are not particularly effective when driving an automobile or otherwise operating a vehicle. When operating a vehicle, only a small amount of ultraviolet radiation penetrates into the cabin or compartment of the vehicle where the driver is located. Consequently, the photochromatic lenses do not darken sufficiently to provide adequate protection from intense sunlight for the operator's eyes. Consequently, users of photochromatic lenses are forced to use a separate pair of sunglasses when driving a vehicle, or to use clip-on sunglasses with their photochromatic eyeglasses in the same way that users of conventional eyeglasses use clip-on sunglasses. Users of photochromatic lenses have no need for conventional sunglasses or clip-on sunglasses when not operating the vehicle because the photochromatic response of the lenses provides the necessary eye-protective darkening effect in other intense-sunlight environments.
Using a separate pair of conventional sunglasses or clip-on sunglasses with photochromatic lenses is somewhat difficult because the user must keep track of the extra sunglasses or the clip-on sunglasses. Furthermore, many users of conventional clear-lens eyeglasses do not encounter a bright sunshine environment except when operating a vehicle. Keeping track of the separate conventional sunglasses or the clip-on sunglasses during those times when not operating a vehicle is inconvenient, especially since conventional sunglasses or clip-on sunglasses are used when operating a vehicle. Keeping track of and protecting clip-on sunglasses is more difficult, because they are smaller than conventional sunglasses, and they are more delicate and easier to damage than conventional eyeglasses or sunglasses.
One known technique of making sunglasses and conventional eyeglasses readily available to vehicle operators is to attach a pouch or case within which to keep the sunglasses or eyeglasses to a sun visor of the vehicle. In this matter, the sunglasses or eyeglasses are immediately accessible whenever the vehicle is operated. However, the driver must open the case or pouch to retrieve the sunglasses or eyeglasses, and such manipulation may distract attention from operating the vehicle. Repeatedly accessing the pouch or case may be particularly bothersome on partially overcast days where the vehicle moves through alternating areas of shade and intense sunlight. Connecting the clip-on sunglasses to the conventional eyeglasses or substituting conventional sunglasses for conventional eyeglasses when encountering areas of intense sunlight, and then disconnecting the clip-on sunglasses or making the eyewear substitution in areas of shade, can be very distracting to the operation of the vehicle since most operators attempt to accomplish such transitions in eyewear while continuing to operate the vehicle. Furthermore, the tendency is not to replace the previously-used eyewear in a case or pouch, because of the distraction of accessing the case or pouch while operating the vehicle. Instead, the vehicle operator will typically lay down the previously-used eyewear on the seat or instrument panel of the vehicle, and thereafter may have difficulty remembering or locating where the eyewear was temporarily placed.
While a case or pouch attached to a vehicle sun visor may be used to hold clip-on sunglasses, the somewhat fragile nature of many of the clip-on sunglasses will not permit repeatedly sliding the clip-on sunglasses into and out of a pouch or case without risking bending, distorting, damaging or breaking the clip-on sunglasses. Furthermore, the relatively small size of the more stylish types of clip-on sunglasses makes them difficult to locate within the typical pouch or case, since a typical case or pouch has a size that is large enough for containing full-size sunglasses or eyeglasses. The small size of the clip-on sunglasses may result in the stately inserting full-size sunglasses or eyeglasses into the same case or pouch as the clip-on sunglasses, thereby damaging or bending the clip-on sunglasses or scratching the lenses of the conventional eyeglasses or clip-on sunglasses.
The consideration and recognition of these and other background factors have led to the present invention.